South Australian Senator In International Bribery Scandal

The beginning of the inquiry into possible corrupt practices by the Australian Wheat Board in Iraq will be notable in hindsight as the beginning of Alexander Downer's demise as Australian Foreign Minister..

Senator for South Australian and Foreign Affairs Minister Downer was recently touted to head the International Atomic Energy Agency. His department is now known to have held knowldedge iof Australian bribes paid to the regime of Saddam Hussein.

In 1996 Downer represented the Australian Government in announcing Australian Wheat being involved in the Iraqi Oil-For-Food Program

A year Mr Downer, via former Liberal Party leader Andrew Peacock, was introduced to the then Governor of Texas. According to The Bulletin's Tony Wright, the words of the "thank you letter" hung in Downer's Adelaide office for many years:

Australia is a very important
ally of the United States, and should I ever be in the position to
reconfirm that alliance, I look forward to doing so. I hope to see you
again. Respectfully yours, George W. Bush.

Mr Downer has assisted US Foreign Policy by goading the Koreans and reintroducing Australia to fear of missile warface and and was a major proponent of the Australia/US Free Trade Agreement.

Mr Downer, having previously announced Condileeza Rice's visit to Adelaide, also announced the visit's cancellation, claiming that the visit was marred by plans by "Leftists" to protest the event.

In spite of the six million dollars a year Australian gives to the IAEA budget and all of US President Bush's pushing, the Senator for South Australia failed to gain the posting of chair of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

When the US Wheat Board banned imports of Australian wheat Mr Downer initiated diplomat dialogue that saw the decision reversed. when you protested the US banning of our wheat, available to you any more?

According to The Age, AWB witnesses at last year's inquiry into the Oil For Food deliberately mislead the United Nation's investigation. Given that the former chief of the AWB has stated awareness that several of his officials "went to Canberra to talk to DFAT" isn't anyone in the position of Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs in the centre of a cyclone of ethical breaches?

Four months ago Mr Downer was representing Australia to the United Nations. The UN is due to receive a new Australian ambassador with the strongly-tipped imminent appointment as Australian Ambassodor to the United Nations of Federal Defence Minister Robert Hill